


A Thousand and One Plans

by tod_von_mii



Series: Raison d'être [4]
Category: Elisabeth - Levay/Kunze
Genre: F/M, Franz Joseph is a very nice man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:49:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25041940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tod_von_mii/pseuds/tod_von_mii
Summary: Sisi couldn't plan for everything, but not all surprises are awful.
Relationships: Elisabeth von Österreich-Ungarn | Elisabeth of Bavaria/Der Tod | Death (Elisabeth)
Series: Raison d'être [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1813564
Kudos: 12





	1. Hallucinations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're only hallucinations until everyone else senses them.

Tomorrow came. It always did. Sisi wanted to lie in bed for another hour and marinate in her good mood, but her fantasy was shoved aside by the reality of her fairytale wedding. Already her position felt like a meter-high set of heels - elevating but limiting. It was hard for her to enjoy herself in a world where the smallest deviation could bring the wrath of God upon her head.

But little things sustained her. When the bishop asked her and the Kaiser if they were willing to get married, for example.

"Yes," she said while moving her mouth as little as possible, not wanting the countless ears around her to hear something they didn't like.

When Franz Joseph spoke his agreement, his voice didn't sound like his own, his eyes were the wrong colour, and-

_Is that-?_

A moment later, he was back to his normal self, the church bells rang, and her guts felt like water again.

Even if it was just a hallucination born from stress and wishful thinking, it reminded her that she would've found a ceremony with der Tod less nerve-wracking. If anyone scolded her or him, der Tod would probably-

_No. It would be better if I didn't think about those things._

When it came time for the _coucher_ , her nerves overwhelmed her, and she rolled as far away from her new husband as she could without falling off the bed. Franz Joseph reminded her they would have to produce an heir eventually, but admitted he didn't feel very "inspired" himself. She thanked him with the excess of gratitude that such anxiety typically inspired.

He didn't notice the shadows growing longer until they curled around her, surrounding her with warmth and comfort.

Another helpful hallucination.


	2. Indulgence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One person's sin is another person's medicine. Warnings for references to sexual content.

"Will that infernal woman ever be satisfied? I cannot go riding on horseback, I must look flawless, I must be presentable, I must do this, I must do that, and my husband abandoned me to take her side! He may be Kaiser, but I am Kaiserin. By all rights, I should have her head!" Sisi began to sob again, perhaps from guilt at admitting such a thought crossed her mind.

Well, when she put it like that...

Sophie clearly wanted the best for her son and her country, but what she did was driving Sisi to tears. Responsibility without power was a most unsatisfactory burden, and it especially grated on a girl who would've rather joined the circus than a royal family.

With a pleasure so base it reminded him of crawling on his belly, he slithered into Sophie's mind at night. The vision of a black seagull's shadow covering the world until no light remained was rather melodramatic, but watching her shudder the way Sisi did when she was reprimanded for not acting royal was supremely satisfying.

Even better, that same night he gave Sisi a dream where she flew around the world in the shape of that very seagull. The contrast between their moods that morning made him smirk.

* * *

Sisi, for better and for worse, was a good person - when she and her husband learned of Sophie's sleepless nights, she had a few of her own. It seemed like her secret, horrible wishes were being granted, and while she did not cry, she did stare at the ceiling, sleepless and stiff, while Franz Joseph slept the sleep of the saints.

Thankfully, der Tod was there to remind her what being cherished felt like. Oh, sure, the general public thought she was a heavenly maiden, but their adoration was weak tea compared to his literal and figurative embraces. And in contrast with the boring intercourse with Franz Joseph that seemed as scripted as any court interaction, when she enjoyed the company of her not-so-grim reaper, she swore she could feel the life flowing back into her.

The irony didn't escape her, but little in her new life was what it seemed. She'd take what pleasure she could get.

* * *

According to Sophie, Sisi had to wake up at 5 A.M. sharp, as the church bells chimed. An empress was a role model, and had to set a good example, put on a good show.

So der Tod, ever helpful, also put on a good show. He sent her into a sleep of the dead, so uncanny that Sophie was prepared to make funeral arrangements. At that moment, Dr. Seeburger came, and announced Sisi was still alive, just sleeping - she needed the sleep and her body had taken extra precautions so as to not be disturbed.

The message was clear: an empress sleeps when she wishes to, and wakes when she wishes to. Her behaviour is natural and has a purpose, a purpose that the schedules of the court don't account for.

From then on, Sophie let Sisi sleep as late as she pleased.


	3. Grief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during Die Schatten werden länger - it makes the whole scene a lot happier. Warnings for references to sexual content and character death.

"Murderer..." Sisi's accusation was pale and bloodless, sorrow having drained most of the life out of her.

Der Tod shook his head. "She died of her sickness. I'm only helping her move on." He wrapped his arms around little Sophie's body and lifted up what appeared to be the soul of the child. "I thought she would've enjoyed the land of the living, but Fate has the final say."

"What do you mean...?" Confusion and curiosity gave her a little energy.

"Do you remember how we trembled when we clung to each other in ecstasy?"

She nodded, a little more vigorously, looking back and forth between Sophie's corpse, Sophie's soul, and Sophie's apparent psychopomp.

"What we did then was able to manifest on the physical plane when you and your husband..." He scowled.

Humourously, so did Sisi, and then her disgust gave way to shock. "She's yours?"

"A demigod, if you will. Not as hardy as Heracles, but perhaps that's a consequence of having Death for a father." He wistfully gazed at Sophie's slowly stirring face. "I promise, I will take care of her."

Even if she knew there was light at the end of the tunnel, Sisi still had to mourn her separation from her daughter. But her grief would run its course without giving way to despair.


End file.
